Leap!

I have just had a life changing weekend and I needed to share my pure joy and enthusiasm right this moment. I have been inspired. I have a whirlwind of thoughts and clarity at the same time. I have a goal. I have passion.

Alright, so I've always had all these things, I WILL give myself that credit. But never in this amount. Or this saturation of being all these things. All at once.

I have a big dream to become a professional photographer. I have always been something of a shutterbug and this hobby has manifested itself to much more than just another one of my creative outlets. I find myself actually living to get that amazing shot. I want to just go out and find faces for the other side of the lens. When I can't find a face, I use my own. Usually the frames are filled by my adorable 3 1/2 year old twins.

So to say that I want this would be an understatement. A big one.

Enter Jasmine Star, wedding photographer extraordinaire. A powerhouse of a woman, she is a wedding photography specialist in Southern California. More recently, she was the creative talent for a 5 day long live course offered by creativelive.

This course changed everything for me.

I will admit it- I was afraid. Pure and simple. I was afraid to put my talents out there. Fearful of the new and unknown. Jasmine Star has shown me (and few other 100,000 people who were watching) that it's okay to put yourself out there. Be yourself. Be REAL. Allow your talents to attract those they were destined to attract and repel those that were not meant to be. Don't be all things to all people. Be you.

Well, even I can do that!

She told us to allow our branding to be an extension of ourselves. This is key to marketing ourselves effectively. This spoke so loudly to me. I don't fit the "girly" aspect that many female photographers may be comfortable with. (I don't mean girly in a bad way, I just don't know how else to convey it) It simply isn't me.

I need to be authentic. I need to be me, through and through.

So what am I, exactly? Well, we have already established that I am not a morning person and require at least 3 calls to get out of bed and a large cup of coffee before I can function. I will never be a "spring out of bed to watch the sun rise and do yoga" kinda girl. I am great with numbers but bad with names. I love to cook but have troubles straying from the recipes at hand. I simply can't read fiction, especially before going to sleep. I don't know why I find it frustrating but I do. Give me a non-fiction read of any kind and I am happy. I am someone who sees the big picture but finds joy in photographing the smallest details. Maybe that's because I can't remember them. ;) I am a Mumma to beautiful twins and love that role in m life! I am a wife of 6 years. I love being at home with my family and I love being a stay at home (and working!) Mum.

I am a sum of so many parts. And without a single one of them, I wouldn't be me. And the addition of any one thing, like yoga at dawn, would dramatically change that makeup. And I am at a place in my life where I like me. Heck, there are even days when I love me. Room for improvement? Sure. But no yoga, thank you.

And I will now take what I learned this weekend with this amazing course and apply it to my life, on my terms. I want to legitimately call myself a photographer. it's time to put it out there. It's time to hang a sign that says open for business.

And so, after much contemplation, dreaming, stalling, procrastinating and pure laziness... I officially open my brand, my store. Sarah Silver Photography.